


if you promise me love, let it be forever

by ContrEeri



Category: Naruto
Genre: Drama, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-26
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-05-28 18:49:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15055484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ContrEeri/pseuds/ContrEeri
Summary: He doesn't want to hear it. He doesn't want to entertain the notion, even though it has haunted him; even though in the quiet dark of night he has feared it and known, deep down, that not even his power is enough to stop this inevitable promise.





	if you promise me love, let it be forever

**Author's Note:**

> this will probably be the final of those prompts from tumblr unless i get more and like what i write. this one is the prompt   
> "things you said that i wish you hadn’t"

Gaara remembered–the memory sharp like the tang of blood on his tongue–-the words Lee had spoken just before they’d left their camp; the words that had led to their first fight.

“No matter what, I will not let you die,” Lee had said, fiercer than anything else he’d ever uttered. 

Gaara’s world had shrunk to a pinpoint. He stared at the map of the of the area, at the little red mark that indicated the enemy’s encampment. He knew exactly what Lee had meant: “I will open the Eighth Gate to save you.” 

“Don’t say that,” Gaara had snapped, bile in his throat and his body like a ghost’s.

Lee didn’t usually argue over shinobi matters with him, but this time had been different. “Nothing in this world could stop me from protecting you, not even you.” 

It had, predictably, escalated. Gaara’s sand shaking in its gourd, barely contained, while Lee squared his shoulders and lifted his chin in defiance of Gaara’s hard stare. 

“You will not. Open. The Eighth. Gate.” Each syllable had been punctuated by the sand in his gourd. Each word had seemed to light a fire in Lee’s eyes, making him more determined to defy Gaara. 

“I love you.” This was the only reason he needed to die; Lee would die for love quicker than duty and Gaara had always known that, had always feared that. 

Gaara had bared his teeth, clenched his hands, and snapped, “Then I don’t love you.” 

Lee didn’t cry. Lee didn’t say a single thing. His silence was worse than any of his protests. Gaara could see Lee’s heart breaking, as though Lee were holding it out to him; as though Gaara himself had ripped it from his chest. 

He’d wanted to take the words back the moment they were spoken, but he wanted Lee to live more. He’d let Lee leave, knowing that Lee might die for him with the last words spoken between being that Gaara didn’t love him. 

He prayed that at the end of all this, both he and Lee would still be standing so he could kiss away the pain he’d caused with those simple words.


End file.
